My IQ has been increasing year by year.

The corridors of the Sunshine Family Compound were filled with the unique aroma of dinner.

The first floor smelled of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, while the second floor smelled of stewed fish wafting from the windows.

Interspersed with the news broadcast's ending theme song playing from various television sets, and the complete childhood of some unknown child filled with parental love.

Fourth floor.

Chen Zhuo was dragging his feet as he climbed up.

Chen Zhuo is having a very strange feeling right now.

My body wasn't sore, and there was no lactic acid buildup in my muscles, but I felt like a battery that had been completely drained.

It felt light and airy, like walking on cotton.

A shutdown response of the brain after extreme excitement.

Just now in that dark physics preparation room, in order to capture that fleeting phase difference and stabilize that extremely fragile "50Hz circle", his dopamine and adrenaline were almost squeezed to the limit in a short period of time.

Of course, that moment was incredibly exhilarating.

It's a pity now.

The adrenaline rush has subsided.

All that was left was the slight dizziness caused by low blood sugar and the hollow sound coming from my stomach.

Turning the corner on the third floor, a rich aroma, a blend of soy sauce and star anise, wafted into my nostrils through the front door.

Then came the sound of a television.

"This pipe of mine, it belonged to Lord Ji Xiaolan..."

It seems to have been played as the ending theme of "The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan".

Chen Zhuo glanced at his watch.

7:40.

It was a full forty minutes later than usual.

In 2001, for a nine-year-old child, coming home at this time would likely have been considered quite egregious.

There was no report, and no one knows where they went. This is a classic case of someone going missing.

To avoid having a complete childhood as soon as he got home, Chen Zhuo stood at his door and pondered for a couple of seconds.

Chen Zhuo took out his key and turned the lock.

The room was very quiet.

There were no clattering sounds of pots and pans as usual, nor the usual humming of tunes by Comrade Chen Jianguo along with the television.

The living room lights were a bit too bright.

Chen Zhu squinted, adjusting his eyes to the light.

The atmosphere inside the room was indeed somewhat tense.

There were three plates on the table, all covered tightly with those fly-proof plastic covers, so you couldn't see what the dishes were, but the aroma of meat was definitely coming from under them.

Three sets of bowls and chopsticks were placed nearby, clean and tidy, clearly untouched by anyone.

Chen Jianguo sat on the old sofa, a half-smoked cigarette in his hand, his brows furrowed deeply.

Ms. Liu Xiuying, wearing an apron and holding a dishcloth, stood at the kitchen doorway.

Upon seeing Chen Zhuo enter, Liu Xiuying's face first showed a sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Then, her eyebrows shot up, and a strong, typical Chinese parent's anger, characterized by initial anxiety followed by affection, surged up all at once.

"Where have you been, you brat?!"

Liu Xiuying slammed the rag on the table, her voice rising eight octaves.

"How long has it been since school ended? Huh? You didn't even call home! Your dad's about to ride his bike to the school to look for you, you know?! You're going to drive us crazy with worry?!"

Chen Jianguo, who was on the sofa, also stood up and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. Although he didn't say anything, there were bloodshot veins in his eyes.

Returning home late.

Especially when there is no location and no messages.

Especially considering that Chen Zhuo was only nine years old and just over 1.4 meters tall.

Chen Zhuo was standing in the entryway, changing his shoes.

Chen Zhuo simply bent down calmly, untied his shoelaces, and neatly placed the sneakers he had taken off on the shoe rack.

Then, he straightened up and pushed up his glasses.

"My physics teacher asked me to stay after school."

As he spoke, he slowly and deliberately took a test paper out of his schoolbag.

A large exam paper printed on 8K mimeograph paper, exuding the smell of ink.

The header page prominently displays a line of bold, black text.

[2001 National Junior High School Applied Physics Knowledge Competition (School Preliminary Round)]

Chen Zhuo gently placed the paper on the dining table.

"Mr. Zhou from the physics department gave me this so I could participate in the competition."

Chen Zhuo looked at his parents and spoke in a calm tone, as if he were saying that they would be having rice for dinner.

"He explained a problem to me in the lab for a while, and I didn't pay attention to the time."

This combo was executed flawlessly, with fluid and seamless movements.

The air in the room froze for a second.

Then, the glacier thawed, and spring arrived with blooming flowers.

The anger on Liu Xiuying's face melted away at a visible speed into surprise and heartache.

"A...competition?"

She walked over quickly, picked up the test paper, and although she couldn't quite understand the questions, she recognized the bright red seal and the words "National".

"Is it Old Zhou from the physics group?"

At this moment, Chen Jianguo, who had been silent all along, also came over.

As a key technical worker in the factory, Lao Zhou's name was well-known among them.

That was a well-known eccentric from the No. 1 Middle School of the city, and also a well-known capable person.

To be noticed by him and even have to stay behind to explain problems to him...

Chen Jianguo's face instantly relaxed, and the murderous expression he had just had vanished, replaced by an irrepressible pride that came from a father.

"Not bad, kid!"

Chen Jianguo slapped Chen Zhuo on the shoulder with a bit too much force, making Chen Zhuo stagger.

"Old Zhou is a very arrogant man. The fact that he's willing to keep you means he truly values ​​you! This is great news! This is fantastic news!"

"Hey, you can't do it on an empty stomach!"

Liu Xiuying had completely forgotten about the fire earlier, and she looked at her son's pale face with heartache.

"Quick, quick, wash your hands! Eat! The meat's getting cold!"

She yanked the food cover off the table.

A plume of hot steam rose up.

The bright red color, the trembling fat, and the thick broth.

Braised pork belly until tender and flavorful.

There was a plate of stir-fried romaine lettuce and a bowl of tomato and egg soup on the side.

A very nice and plentiful dinner.

Chen Zhuo sat in his chair and picked up a large bowl of white rice.

Liu Xiuying quickly picked up the two largest pieces of pork belly and placed them in his bowl.

"Eat more to nourish your brain. Your face is so pale, you must be exhausted."

Chen Jianguo leisurely poured himself a small glass of baijiu and took a sip.

Watching her son wolf down his food, the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes widened in undisguised joy.

"Son, what did Lao Zhou tell you? Was it difficult?"

Chen Zhuo's mouth was stuffed full of meat and rice.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and mumbled a reply:

"It's alright, it's just... basic operation."

Chen Jianguo laughed heartily.

"That kid's got quite the nerve! Just like me!"

The lights in the room were a warm yellow.

On the television, Ji Xiaolan was still arguing with Heshen.

Chen Zhu ate his meal heartily, listening to his parents chat, and felt the static electricity and chill he had picked up in the deserted laboratory gradually dissipating.

......

After dinner.

Chen Jianguo went to the balcony to smoke and, incidentally, to examine the clivia plant that he had almost killed.

Liu Xiuying was washing dishes in the kitchen, the sound of running water was loud.

Chen Zhuo returned to his small room.

Close the door.

The sounds of the television and washing dishes outside were instantly shut out, leaving only a muffled background noise.

Chen Zhuo walked to his desk and turned on the desk lamp.

The white energy-saving light bulb emitted a soft buzzing sound, illuminating Chen Zhuo's little world brightly.

Chen Zhuo sat in the chair, feeling a bit full.

I ate that braised pork a bit too much just now, which increased blood flow to my stomach, causing a slight lack of oxygen to my brain and making me a little sluggish.

of course.

This is only in comparison to his "overclocking" state in the laboratory.

This level of mental preparation is more than enough, and perhaps even a bit excessive, for completing a junior high school physics test.

Chen Zhuo took the test paper out of his schoolbag and spread it out on the table.

The smell of ink mixed with the lingering smell of braised pork on his hands.

OK.

Let's get started.